Hand wardrobe trunk



S. MEYER HAND WARDROBE TRUNK Filed April 27, 1935 atented pr. 7i il HAND WARDRUBE TRUNK Siegfried Meyer, Berlin, Germany Application april 2'?, i935, Serial No. lt?. lin Germany Aapril. 2d, lg3d 2 malins.

rlf'his invention relates to wardrobe tiunks or suitcases.

ln order as far as possible to obtain advantages similar to those afforded by wardrobe trunlrs (in which the clothes are hung as in a wardrobe) in smaller trunlzs, so-called hand-wardrobe trunks or wardrobe suitcases are manufactured, the height of which is considerably less than the length of the clothes. In these the clothes are hung on separate frames or supports, in which each article of clothing is several times folded and held in such position. The carrying hooks are `either disposed only on one side or one on the top and one on one side.

These hand wardrobe trunks or wardrobe suitcases have the disadvantage that on carrying the saine by the handle fastened to one of the sides` the clothes do not hang, but lie on the edge and consequently easily become damaged, and that the clothes cannot be allowed to hang free whilst staying in a hotel or the like, so that in time unsightly folds are liable to be formed at the bent-over parts. The fact that each dress has u to be folded together and suspended individually on its support or hanger is particularly troublesonne in the case of trunks of commercial travellers, who for 'example take about with them several dress models for purposes of display.

The aforesaid disadvantages are overcome by the present invention, according to which the bottom of the trunlt or suitcase opposite to the hanging rods for the dresses is connected by hinges with both the front and the bacia walls of the trunl: or suitcase in such a way that on opening the same the bottoni and the front and bach walls are brought into one common plane. In the open position the trunk is high enough to enable a dress to hang freely therein.. The carrying handle fastened to the top side of the trunk is preferably constructed in the form o a hook, which may, if desired, be rotatable and by means of which the open trunk may be suspended on any clothes hook or on. wardrobe rods or the like.

If desired, a bar or the like may be provided, by

(tCll. 19d-AM or wardrobe suitcase according to the present in vention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure l is a cross-section of a trunli; aecording to the invention in the closed condition and Figure 2 is a perspective view of the saine trunlr opened.

Referring to the drawing, a is the rear or upper part of the trunk, which near the top wall carries the hanging rod i for the dresses. This hanging rod i may be made extensible in lrnown manner, so as to render the dresses at the baclr more ac cessible, b is the front or lower part of the trunk., whilst the part c when the trunk is closed constitutes the bottom wall, and when the trunl; is opened the said part constitutes the middle portion of the rear wall. it is connected with the parts a and b by the hinges d and f, g is a loclr for closing the trunk; a supporting or carrying hoolt h is fastened to the top wall of the upper part a, which hooi; contrary to the usual form of construction is open at one side, so that the trunk. can be suspended not only on clothes hooks and the lilie but also on wardrobe rods as for example inside a Wardrobe. in order to prevent the lower part b from hinging too far backwards, chains I" or the like may be provided between the edges of the two halves of the trunk. if it is desired that the trunk should also be capable of being stood up in the opened condition, rigid or foldable bars may also be employed instead of the chains r.

in order to enable the dresses to be rapidly folded in the correct places on closing the trunk, a bar k, which :may for example be made U- shaped, is suspended in the trunk by means of cords n on hooks o or the like. This bar normally hangs about twothirds oi a dress length below the hanging rod i. in the uppermost part of the trunk, devices (for example hooks m) are provided for the reception of the rod lc. if it is desired to fold the dresses p together in order to close the box, the dresses are lifted with the aid of the rod is behind the same, as far as possible without moving relatively to the dress, and the ends of the rod 1c are inserted in the hooks m, The clothes then assume approximately the position shown in Figure l, after which the trunk can be closed. In order to keep the dresses flat even when the trunk is inadvertently overu turned, a second bar q of similar construction to the bar Ic may be provided, which is, however, previously inserted in front of the dresses. Figure l shows the rod q in the position which it assumes when the trunlr is closed.

The trunk may be varied in various ways within the scope of this invention, thus, for example, the rod k may be supplied loose instead of being capable of being suspended on hooks o. Alternatively rigid members may be provided in place of the cords n, in which case the hooks m may be omitted and the -rod k connected by hinges disposed at o.

It is advisable to provide a separate carrying handle on the top side in addition to the hook h, but to leave the side Walls free from carrying handles. Thus on the one hand damage to the dresses by transverse carrying is prevented and on the other hand the trunk may be constructed lighter, the side walls being, for example, merely made in the form of frames covered with material or the like since it is certain that theser walls cannot be overloaded. The guiding rod il: may also be constructed in the form of a frame which may il' desired be folclable and which encloses the dresses.

The trunk according to the invention is intended mainly for ladies dresses, childrens dresses, blouses and light cloaks but it can, of course, also be used for other articles of clothing.

I claim:-

1. In a wardrobe case, the combination of a rear member provided with means adapted to hang garments, a front member hinged to said rear member and adapted to be turned into a position forming substantially a prolongation of said rear member, folding means connected with said rear member by ilexible means having such a length, that said folding means is placed at a position inside of said front member when the case is open, and holding means attached to said rear member and-adapted to receive said folding means when the case is closed.

2. In a wardrobe case, the combination of a rear member provided with means adapted to hang garments, a front member hinged to said rear member and adapted to be turned into a position forming substantially a prolongation oi said rear member, a U-shaped rod connected with said rear member by flexible means having such an arrangement and length, that said U-shaped rod is placed in a substantially horizontal plane at a position inside of said front member when the case is open, and holding means attached to said rear member and adapted to receive said U-shaped rod when the cme is closed.

SIEGFRED MEYER. 

